The Availability of Live Specimen in the Teaching and Learning of Biology in Secondary Schools in Nandi South Sub County in Kenya

Abstract

Effective teaching of Biology entails the use of live specimen in order to facilitate the learning and application of science process skills in and outside the classroom. In Kenya, teaching of Biology has been found effective if the students are exposed to live specimens. The purpose of the study was to establish availability of live specimen in the teaching and learning of Biology in secondary schools in Nandi South sub county in Kenya. The research was based on the Gagne Theory of Instruction (1963). Descriptive survey design was utilized. The unit of analysis consisted of 45 public secondary schools in Nandi South Sub County comprising 45 school principals, 135 teachers of Biology and 2267 Biology students. Purposive and simple random sampling method were utilized to pick 14 public secondary schools, 14 school principals, 14 Biology teachers and 227 Form 3 Biology students were selected totaling to a sample size of 255. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. Validity was determined through consultation in form of discussions with the supervisors. Reliability of the instruments was established by means of the split half technique. A Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.8 was obtained in the study. The research used descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (Pearson's Product Moment Correlation) to evaluate the results. Findings showed that availability of live specimen significantly influence Biology instruction in secondary schools in Nandi South sub-County (β1 = -.174, P < 0.05). The study concluded that, schools have inadequate live specimen which is an effective teaching method which Biology teachers should be encourage to use to enhance students’ achievements in the subject. The study recommended that school principals should make basic resources available. Biology teachers should build up small aquariums, vivariums, and botanical gardens in their classrooms